2009 Hall of Fame Inductees
Justin Quek (2001, 2003, 2004)
Chef of the Year
With his passion for cooking developed through two years spent as a seaman, Justin Quek developed his culinary skills under the renowned chef Bertrand Langlet, and further honed his skills with a stint in France. This proved to be a turning point in his career, with his return to Singapore seeing him serve as the personal chef to two French High Commissioners. In 1994, Quek set-up the multi-award-winning Les Amis Restaurant, venturing on to Taiwan and Shanghai, where he now operates three highly-acclaimed restaurants in the Xintiandi district.
TopSam Leong (2001, 2002, 2004)
Asian Ethnic Chef of the Year
A celebrity chef in his own right, Sam Leong takes pride in his fusion of traditional Chinese cuisine with cosmopolitan touches. Recipient of the World Gourmet Summit Awards Of Excellence Executive Chef of the Year and Chef of the Year in 2005, Leong today serves as director of kitchens for the acclaimed Tung Lok Group of Restaurants. Not content with resting on his laurels, Leong's private recipes feature prominently on the menu of My Humble House, adding exceptional artistic presentation to traditional Chinese cuisine.
Gottfried Schuetzenberger (2004, 2006, 2008)
Pastry Chef of the Year
With a passion for serving up creative desserts for his guests, Gottfried Schuetzenberger has honed his skills in no less than 20 countries including Egypt, India, France, China and Latin America, Schuetzenberger's resum� is studded with numerous medals won at various international exhibitions and competitions, including the world-renowned IKA Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt, Germany, Food & Hotel Asia in Singapore. A protégé in his field of expertise, Schuetzenberger helms the pastry kitchens of Grand Hyatt Singapore as executive pastry chef - Asia Pacific, heading the establishment's 28-man team.
Les Amis Pte Ltd (2001, 2003, 2008)
Restaurant of the Year
The first restaurant to be opened under the Les Amis Group, Les Amis Pte Ltd was founded in 1994. Exuding an aura of elegance and class from the decor to the tableware and the food served, Les Amis seeks to cater to the needs of each individual. Boasting private dining rooms individually decorated with priceless antiques, Les Amis counts amongst its accolades, as being listed as one of the top restaurants in the world by UK Restaurant Magazine.
Aby Tan (2001, 2002, 2003)
Sommelier of the Year
Cellar master turned chef sommelier turned marketing manager of Vinum Fine Wine Merchant, Aby Tan's love affair with wine stems from his love of sharing experiences with fellow wine connoisseurs. Formerly chef sommelier of the award-winning Les Amis restaurant, Tan today busies himself with wine tastings and marketing events organised by Caveau, a division of Vinum Fine Wine Merchant.
Randy See (2004, 2005, 2006)
Sommelier of the Year
Attaining his higher education in hotel management from Shatec, Randy See developed a keen interest in wines, going on to win the 1998 Shatec-Austrade Wine Educational Awards. Following further cultivation of his senses and awareness of wines, See was appointed as a sommelier in Les Amis restaurant in 2001. Today, See oversees Les Amis Group's standards of service, food and beverages in Singapore and Hong Kong, serving as director of group operations.
Les Amis Pte Ltd (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
Wine List of the Year
Being one of the only three Wine Spectator Grand Award recipients in Asia, Les Amis is reputed for its award-winning wine list. Les Amis restaurant carries up to 1,500 labels at any one point of time, from wine growing regions the world over. With two temperature-controlled cellars, wines are specially chosen to perfectly complement the restaurants delectable menu. Today, chef sommelier, Timothy Goh and his team of talented sommeliers bring each diner on an epicurean journey complete with perfectly paired wines for each dish in the menu, from appetisers right up to desserts.
Raffles Grill (2005, 2006, 2007)
Wine List of the Year
Boasting a wide array of wines largely from the Old World and nestled in the heart of one of Singapore's most illustrious hotels, Raffles Grill promises its guests not just fine cuisine but also carefully selected wines, leaving guests spoilt for choice. Equipping its well-trained sommeliers with an abundance of choice in labels and vintages, Raffles Grill has built its reputation as a wine destination with something from everyone, from traditional wine growing regions of France, Italy and Germany, to newer regions including California, Australia and South Africa.
Shatec Institutes (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
Culinary Institution of the Year
Striving to be Asia's foremost institution for human capital development and thought leadership, Shatec has carved itself an illustrious history, producing some of Singapore's top talents in the hospitality and food and beverage industries today. Focusing on the key areas of providing quality faculty to complement a well-thought-out curriculum for its aspiring students, Shatec has also achieved the high standards required in the Singapore Quality Award framework and has been accredited as one of the Institutes in the Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organisations (SQC-PEO).
